Intelligent Cooperation Between Manned and Unmanned Aircraft

Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) is a key future concept developed  by Airbus, in which crewed and uncrewed aircraft (unmanned aerial vehicles, UAVs) operate seamlessly within a network. The aim is to increase the safety, range and effectiveness of operational missions. 

Airbus defines Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T), also referred to as Crewed-Uncrewed Teaming (CUC-T), as the seamless cooperation between crewed and uncrewed systems to achieve shared mission objectives. Drones act as force multipliers, performing a wide range of tasks, while crews and drone operators retain full control from their aircraft at a safe distance. The cooperative interaction of crewed platforms (helicopters or combat aircraft) and uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) within a shared network is considered a technological key for modern military operations and is being advanced across multiple Airbus divisions.

With the Wingman for fighter aircraft, the Remote Carrier as part of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), and HTeaming — a modular solution enabling the control of uncrewed systems directly from a helicopter cockpit — Airbus is pursuing three distinct concepts. While the first two projects remain in conceptual and early testing phases, HTeaming by Airbus Helicopters is already progressing towards operational use. To support this, Airbus Helicopters is expanding its portfolio to include unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV/UAS), enabling it to offer drones of various sizes capable of MUM-T operations.

Concept and testing

Airbus Helicopters and the French defence procurement agency DGA are working intensively on the design and demonstration of Manned-Unmanned Teaming systems to network crewed helicopters with unmanned aerial systems (UAS). As early as the end of 2017, Airbus Helicopters agreed on a landmark project with the DGA (Direction générale de l’armement). The aim was to develop an unmanned aerial system for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions in a military maritime environment. This project led to the development of the tactical drone system VSR700. The cooperation with the DGA aimed to integrate drone control directly into a ship’s combat management system and enable cooperation with crewed helicopters. The initial bilateral cooperation with the DGA was expanded to the European level at the end of 2021 through the MUSHER project. MUSHER (Development of a generic European Manned Unmanned Helicopter Environmental Response) is a pioneering defence project under the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP) of the European Union. Its goal is to develop a scalable European MUM-T system that enables cooperation between platforms from different manufacturers and European armed forces within a shared network for both civilian and military operations. Partners include Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo, Thales (surveillance systems), Indra (simulation), as well as additional industrial and research partners from several EU member states.

In October 2024, a large-scale capability demonstration in France and Italy involving multiple helicopters and unmanned systems proved that platforms from different manufacturers could operate simultaneously in a shared network across geographically separated operational areas. Interoperability levels (Level of Interoperability / LOI) 2 to 4 were successfully demonstrated — from the direct reception of UAS data by crewed helicopters and ground stations to the control and monitoring of UAS from helicopters.

Airbus Helicopters deployed the H130 FlightLab as the crewed platform and the VSR700 as the UAS at a DGA test site in France, while Leonardo simultaneously operated a helicopter and an optionally crewed aircraft in Italy. The MUSHER demonstration included several scenarios in which aircraft operated simultaneously in France and Italy. These missions were based on operational concepts defined by the defence ministries of France, Italy and Spain. One scenario, for example, demonstrated UAS and crewed helicopters working together in an anti-piracy mission. The UAS initially conducted a surveillance mission; after detecting suspicious activity on a vessel, a helicopter was dispatched and assumed full control of the UAS in preparation for potential intervention.

HTeaming by Airbus

Airbus Helicopters developed the HTeaming system as a modular MUM-T solution and presented it publicly for the first time in 2025 at the Paris Air Show (16–22 June). HTeaming enables helicopter crews to control unmanned aerial systems directly during flight and integrate their sensors and effectors into missions.

HTeaming can be used either as a standalone solution — via a tablet with a human-machine interface (HMI), modem and four antennas mounted on the helicopter — or fully integrated into the helicopter’s mission system. The solution is platform-independent, allowing installation on various helicopter types and enabling control of different drone types. Specialised software enables real-time autonomous management of drone swarms, including task allocation and collision avoidance.

The system has already been successfully deployed on multiple Airbus Helicopters platforms, both as a standalone solution and in integrated configurations. In addition to the H145M, the H130, H135M, H160 and H225M have conducted MUM-T operations in various test flights with different drones. The H145M, for example, demonstrated full interoperability with systems such as Rheinmetall’s LUNA NG and Quantum Systems’ Vector drone, achieving the highest level of interoperability. HTeaming is currently offered as a standalone solution. However, Airbus Helicopters is working intensively to integrate the system directly into the mission systems of its helicopter platforms and bring it to market as quickly as possible.

Unmanned systems in MUM-T

Alongside HTeaming, Airbus also offers unmanned systems that can be effectively deployed in MUM-T applications. Airbus Helicopters is already capable of providing a reliable end-to-end solution consisting of a crewed platform and UAS.

In October of last year, Airbus established a drone competence centre, consolidating its tactical drone systems under Airbus Helicopters. This consolidation creates a comprehensive portfolio ranging from lightweight reconnaissance drones to maritime multi-role systems. The models Aliaca (25 kg, up to 6 hours endurance), Flexrotor (25 kg, 10–12 hours endurance) and Capa-X (120 kg, up to 20 kg payload) cover the mid-range segment, while the VSR700, with a maximum take-off weight of 750 kg, is positioned as a multi-role UAS for surveillance, logistics and coastal operations. The new competence centre integrates development, operations and support, accelerating cooperation between crewed and unmanned systems.

MUM-T in the armed forces

In developing and implementing MUM-T, Airbus works closely with armed forces operating Airbus Helicopters platforms.

France is at the forefront. Both the French Navy (Marine nationale) and the Army Aviation branch ALAT (Aviation légère de l’armée de Terre) have been testing MUM-T concepts for several years. The French Army Aviation branch is currently intensively evaluating the concept using the light Gazelle helicopter and the NH90-TTH medium transport helicopter, known as Caïman. In trials and exercises, small FPV (First Person View) drones have been launched from helicopters for reconnaissance purposes and controlled directly by an operator during flight. The Gazelle and Caïman effectively act as airborne command posts. By integrating drones, helicopters can operate at a safe distance or behind cover while the drone conducts reconnaissance or directly engages targets. The system uses specialised radio links and data connections to transmit the drone’s video feed in real time to a tablet or cockpit display. The results obtained by both naval and army aviation units are laying the groundwork for integrating drone swarm technologies into the new H160M Guépard multi-role helicopter. They also contribute to the upgrade of the Tiger attack helicopter to the Mk3 standard.

The Spanish armed forces play an equally important role in the implementation of MUM-T. In May 2025, the Spanish Navy (Armada Española) successfully tested cooperation between an Airbus H135M “Nival” and the Flexrotor drone at Coronel Maté Air Base in Madrid. The Flexrotor conducted a reconnaissance mission, transmitting data in real time to the helicopter cockpit. The Spanish Army Aviation (FAMET) is also actively testing MUM-T. In trials at the Chinchilla training area near Albacete, the integration of the Q-SLAM-40 loitering munition developed by the Spanish company Arquimea into an NH90-TTH was tested, including its precise deployment from the air. The Q-SLAM-40 is a small drone capable of both precision strikes against ground targets and counter-drone operations.

Singapore is another nation exploring MUM-T. In June last year, Airbus Helicopters and the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) launched an extensive test campaign in which an H225M of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), equipped with HTeaming, conducted joint missions with the Flexrotor drone under realistic conditions. The campaign included a simulated search and rescue (SAR) mission involving the recovery of a downed pilot. The successful completion of the trials and their results were officially presented at the Singapore Airshow 2026.

Carsten Vennemann

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